Protected access control method for shared computer resources

ABSTRACT

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for providing protected computer communications. The present invention may provide for computer communications where in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility, the first computing facility may be caused to send a request to a compliance center for security compliance information relating to the second computing facility. In response to the request for security compliance information, the first computing facility may receive compliance information related to the second computing facility, which may cause the first computing facility to perform an action regulating further communications from the second computing facility if the second computing facility security compliance information indicates that the second client computing facility is not compliant with a current security policy.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention is related to computer communications, and more specifically to protected access control.

2. Description of the Related Art

Computers are under the constant threat of receiving files or data that may infect their system. Shared access to files with other computers is particularly difficult because although the system may have access restrictions through authentication and authorization, this is not enough to secure shared computer resources. The reason is that a person or computer may be valid (authenticated) and may have access to the resource (authorized) but still may be a threat to the shared resource and everyone that uses it, because the operating environment may have been compromised prior to access. Therefore, an improved method for protecting shared computer resources is needed.

SUMMARY

The present invention may provide a new method to control access to shared resources on a computer system based on administrator defined computer security policy. The method may be based on the requesters' security stance over and above authentication and authorization mechanisms, and help prevent security threats, malware threats, and provide improved data content protection. The tangible result may be that shared computer resources may now be additionally secured so that non-trusted operating environments may not be able to spread infections. The integrity and security level of these shared computer resources may be largely improved by the present invention, which is important since this has been a very common method of infection spreading.

In embodiments, the present invention may provide for computer communications where in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility, the first computing facility may be caused to send a request to a compliance center for security compliance information relating to the second computing facility. In response to the request for security compliance information, the first computing facility may receive compliance information related to the second computing facility, which may cause the first computing facility to perform an action regulating further communications from the second computing facility if the second computing facility security compliance information indicates that the second client computing facility is not compliant with a current security policy.

In embodiments, the computing facility may be a client computing facility, a server computing facility, a router computing facility, a firewall computing facility, and the like. The communication may be an access request to a shared computer resource, a shared file access, a shared application resource access, a shared network resource access, a shared email resource access, a shared instant message access, and the like.

In embodiments, the compliance center may be centrally located on a network, located on the first computing facility, distributed between the first computing facility and the second computing facility, distributed across at least two of a plurality of endpoint computing facilities, and the like. In embodiments, the compliance center may be updated automatically, such as provided by a central security management facility, by endpoint computer facilities, by at least one of the first computing facility and the second computing facility, and the like. In embodiments, the security compliance information may be the detection of security software on the second computing facility, related to updates of security software, related to the version of security software, related to malware detection software, an enabled firewall in the second computing facility, and the like. In embodiments, the current security policy may be maintained in a central policy management facility.

In embodiments, the action may be to block further communications from the second computer facility, to block access to shared resources in the first computing facility, to block transfers of data to the first computing facility, and the like. In embodiments, further communications may relate only to writing of data to the first computing facility.

In embodiments, the second computing facility may be located on the Internet, and further communications not regulated even in the absence of security compliance information.

In embodiments, the present invention may provide computer communications, where a first computing facility may receive security compliance information indicating that the first computing facility is currently in compliance and indicating a period of time for which the first computing facility is to be considered in compliance. The first computing facility may then send a communication to a second computing facility. The communication may include the security compliance information, which may cause the second computing facility to check the security compliance information for an in-security-compliance indication before accepting further communications from the first computing facility. In embodiments, the security compliance information may be received from a compliance center, the second computing facility may check the security compliance information with a local database of compliance information, the second computing facility may check the security compliance information with a networked database of compliance information, and the like.

In embodiments, the present invention may provide computer communications, where in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility, the first computing facility may be caused to send a compliance information request to the second computing facility. The compliance information request may then check the second computing facility operating system's ability to communicate security compliance information to a compliance center. In response to receiving an indication that the second computing facility does not send compliance information to the compliance center, the second computing facility may be allowed further communications to be received and processed by the first computing facility.

These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings. All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention and the following detailed description of certain embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the following figures:

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a threat management facility providing protection to an enterprise against a plurality of threats.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a process flow diagram for communications between two computing facilities in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a process flow diagram for communications between two computing facilities in an embodiment of the present invention, where time related security compliance information is exchanged between the computing facilities.

FIG. 5 depicts a process flow diagram for communications between two computing facilities in an embodiment of the present invention, where in the event that a computer's operating system is not able to communicate with a compliance center, that normal communications may be enabled between the two computers.

While the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art and are encompassed herein.

All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a threat management facility providing protection to an enterprise against a plurality of threats. An aspect of the present invention relates to corporate policy management and their implementation through a unified threat management facility 100. As will be explained in more detail below, a threat management facility 100 is used to protect computer assets from many threats, both computer generated threats and user generated threats. The threat management facility 100 is multi-dimensional in that it is designed to protect corporate assets from a variety of threats and it is adapted to learn about threats in one dimension (e.g. worm detection) and apply the knowledge in another dimension (e.g. spam detection). Corporate policy management is one of the dimensions for which the threat management facility can control. The corporation may institute a policy that prevents certain people (e.g. employees, groups of employees, types of employees, guest of the corporation, etc.) from accessing certain types of computer programs. For example, the corporation may elect to prevent its accounting department from using a particular version of an instant messaging service or all such services. In this example, the policy management facility 112 may be used to update the policies of all corporate computing assets with a proper policy control facility or it may update a select few. By using the threat management facility 100 to facilitate the setting, updating and control of such policies the corporation only needs to be concerned with keeping the threat management facility 100 up to date on such policies. The threat management facility 100 can take care of updating all of the other corporate computing assets.

It should be understood that the threat management facility 100 may provide multiple services and policy management may be offered as one of the services. We will now turn to a description of the threat management system 100

Over recent years, malware has become a major problem across the internet 154. From both technical and user perspectives the categorization of a specific threat type, such as whether it is a virus, worm, spam, phishing exploration, spyware, adware, or the like, is becoming reduced in significance. The threat, no matter how it's categorized, may need to be stopped at all points of the enterprise facility 102, including laptop, desktop, server facility 142, gateway, and the like. Similarly, there may be less and less benefit to the user in having different solutions for known and unknown threats. As such, a consolidated threat management facility 100 may need to be applied to the same set of technologies and capabilities for all threats. The threat management facility 100 may provide a single agent on the desktop, and a single scan of any suspect file. This approach may eliminate the inevitable overlaps and gaps in protection caused by treating viruses and spyware as separate problems, while simultaneously simplifying administration and minimizing desktop load. As the number and range of types of threats has increased, so may have the level of connectivity available to all IT users. This may have lead to a rapid increase in the speed at which threats may move. Today, an unprotected PC connected to the internet 154 may be infected quickly, say within 10 minutes, which may require acceleration for the delivery of threat protection. Where once, monthly updates may have been sufficient, the threat management facility 100 may automatically and seamlessly update its product set against spam and virus threats quickly, for instance, every five minutes, every minute, continuously, or the like. Analysis and testing may be increasingly automated, and also may be performed more frequently; for instance, it may be completed in 15 minutes, and may do so without compromising quality. The threat management facility 100 may also extend techniques that may have been developed for virus and malware protection, and provide them to enterprise facility 102 network administrators to better control their environments. In addition to stopping malicious code, the threat management facility 100 may provide policy management that may be able to control legitimate applications, such as VoIP, instant messaging, peer-to-peer file-sharing, and the like, that may undermine productivity and network performance within the enterprise facility 102.

The threat management facility 100 may provide an enterprise facility 102 protection from computer-based malware, including viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans, intrusion, spam, policy abuse, uncontrolled access, and the like, where the enterprise facility 102 may be any entity with a networked computer-based infrastructure. In an embodiment, FIG. 1 may depict a block diagram of the threat management facility providing protection to an enterprise against a plurality of threats. The enterprise facility 102 may be corporate, commercial, educational, governmental, or the like, and the enterprise facility's 102 computer network may be distributed amongst a plurality of facilities, and in a plurality of geographical locations. The threat management facility 100 may include a plurality of functions, such as security management facility 122, policy management facility 112, update facility 120, definitions facility 114, network access rules facility 124, remedial action facility 128, detection techniques facility 130, testing facility 118, threat research facility 132, and the like. In embodiments, the threat protection provided by the threat management facility 100 may extend beyond the network boundaries of the enterprise facility 102 to include enterprise facility 102 client facility's 144 that have moved into network connectivity not directly associated or controlled by the enterprise facility 102. Threats to enterprise facility 102 client facilities 144 may come from a plurality of sources, such as from network threats 104, physical proximity threats 110, secondary location threats 108, and the like. In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may provide an enterprise facility 102 protection from a plurality of threats to multiplatform computer resources in a plurality of locations and network configurations, with an integrated system approach.

In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may be provided as a stand-alone solution. In other embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may be integrated into a third-party product. An application programming interface (e.g. a source code interface) may be provided such that the threat management facility 100 may be integrated. For instance, the threat management facility 100 may be stand-alone in that it provides direct threat protection to an enterprise or computer resource, where protection is subscribed to directly with the threat management facility 100. Alternatively, the threat management facility may offer protection indirectly, through a third-party product, where an enterprise may subscribe to services through the third-party product, and threat protection to the enterprise may be provided by the threat management facility 100 through the third-party product.

The security management facility 122 may include a plurality of elements that provide protection from malware to enterprise facility 102 computer resources, including endpoint security and control, email security and control, web security and control, reputation-based filtering, control of unauthorized users, control of guest and non-compliant computers, and the like. The security management facility 122 may be a software application that may provide malicious code and malicious application protection to a client facility 144 computing resource. The security management facility 122 may have the ability to scan the client facility 144 files for malicious code, remove or quarantine certain applications and files, prevent certain actions, perform remedial actions and perform other security measures. In embodiments, scanning the client facility 144 may include scanning some or all of the files stored to the client facility 144 on a periodic basis, may scan applications once the application has been requested to execute, may scan files as the files are transmitted to or from the client facility 144, or the like. The scanning of the applications and files may be to detect known malicious code or known unwanted applications. In an embodiment, new malicious code and unwanted applications may be continually developed and distributed, and updates to the known code database may be provided on a periodic basis, on a demand basis, on an alert basis, or the like.

In an embodiment, the security management facility 122 may provide for email security and control, where security management may help to eliminate spam, viruses, spyware and phishing, control of email content, and the like. The security management facilities 122 email security and control may protect against inbound and outbound threats, protect email infrastructure, prevent data leakage, provide spam filtering, and the like. In an embodiment, security management facility 122 may provide for web security and control, where security management may help to detect or block viruses, spyware, malware, unwanted applications, help control web browsing, and the like, which may provide comprehensive web access control enabling safe, productive web browsing. Web security and control may provide internet use policies, reporting on suspect devices, security and content filtering, active monitoring of network traffic, URI filtering, and the like. In an embodiment, the security management facility 122 may provide for network access control, which may provide control over network connections. Network control may stop unauthorized, guest, or non-compliant systems from accessing networks, and may control network traffic that may not be bypassed from the client level. In addition, network access control may control access to virtual private networks (VPN), where VPNs may be a communications network tunneled through another network, establishing a logical connection acting as a virtual network. In embodiments, a VPN may be treated in the same manner as a physical network.

In an embodiment, the security management facility 122 may provide for host intrusion prevention through behavioral based protection, which may guard against unknown threats by analyzing behavior before software code executes. Behavioral based protection may monitor code when it runs and intervene if the code is deemed to be suspicious or malicious. Advantages of behavioral based protection over runtime protection may include code being prevented from running, whereas runtime protection may only interrupt code that has already partly executed; behavioral protection may identify malicious code at the gateway or on the file servers and deletes it before reaching end-point computers and the like.

In an embodiment, the security management facility 122 may provide for reputation filtering, which may target or identify sources of known malware. For instance, reputation filtering may include lists of URIs of known sources of malware or known suspicious IP addresses, or domains, say for spam, that when detected may invoke an action by the threat management facility 100, such as dropping them immediately. By dropping the source before any interaction can initiate, potential threat sources may be thwarted before any exchange of data can be made.

In embodiments, information may be sent from the enterprise back to a third party, a vendor, or the like, which may lead to improved performance of the threat management facility 100. For example, the types, times, and number of virus interactions that a client experiences may provide useful information for the preventions of future virus threats. This type of feedback may be useful for any aspect of threat detection. Feedback of information may also be associated with behaviors of individuals within the enterprise, such as being associated with most common violations of policy, network access, unauthorized application loading, unauthorized external device use, and the like. In embodiments, this type of information feedback may enable the evaluation or profiling of client actions that are violations of policy that may provide a predictive model for the improvement of enterprise policies.

In an embodiment, the security management facility 122 may provide for the overall security of the enterprise facility 102 network or set of enterprise facility 102 networks, may provide updates of malicious code information to the enterprise facility 102 network, and associated client facilities 144. The updates may be a planned update, an update in reaction to a threat notice, an update in reaction to a request for an update, an update based on a search of known malicious code information, or the like. The administration facility 134 may provide control over the security management facility 122 when updates are performed. The updates may be automatically transmitted without an administration facility's 134 direct control, manually transmitted by the administration facility 134, or the like. The security management facility 122 may include the management of receiving malicious code descriptions from a provider, distribution of malicious code descriptions to enterprise facility 102 networks, distribution of malicious code descriptions to client facilities 144, or the like. In an embodiment, the management of malicious code information may be provided to the enterprise facility's 102 network, where the enterprise facility's 102 network may provide the malicious code information through the enterprise facility's 102 network distribution system.

The threat management facility 100 may provide policy management facility 112 that may be able to block non-malicious applications, such as VoIP 164, instant messaging 162, peer-to-peer file-sharing, and the like, that may undermine productivity and network performance within the enterprise facility 102. The policy management facility 112 may be a set of rules or policies that may indicate enterprise facility 102 access permissions for the client facility 144, such as access permissions associated with the network, applications, external computer devices, and the like. The policy management facility 112 may include a database, a text file, a combination of databases and text files, or the like. In an embodiment, a policy database may be a block list, a black list, an allowed list, a white list, or the like that may provide a list of enterprise facility 102 external network locations/applications that may or may not be accessed by the client facility 144. The policy management facility 112 may include rules that may be interpreted with respect to an enterprise facility 102 network access request to determine if the request should be allowed. The rules may provide a generic rule for the type of access that may be granted; the rules may be related to the policies of an enterprise facility 102 for access rights for the enterprise facility's 102 client facility 144. For example, there may be a rule that does not permit access to sporting websites. When a website is requested by the client facility 144, a security facility may access the rules within a policy facility to determine if the requested access is related to a sporting website. In an embodiment, the security facility may analyze the requested website to determine if the website matches with any of the policy facility rules.

The policy management facility 112 may be similar to the security management facility 122 but with the distribution of enterprise facility 102 wide access rules and policies that may maintain control of the access of client facility 144 to enterprise facility 102 network resources. The policies may be defined for application type, subset of application capabilities, organization hierarchy, computer facility type, user type, network location, time of day, connection type, or the like. Policies may be maintained by the administration facility 134, through the threat management facility 100, in association with a third party, or the like. For example, a policy may restrict IM 162 activity to only support personnel for communicating with customers. This may allow communication for departments requiring access, but may maintain the network bandwidth for other activities by restricting the use of IM 162 to only the personnel that need access to IM 162 in support of the enterprise facility 102. In an embodiment, the policy management facility 112 may be a standalone application, may be part of the policy management facility 112, network server facility 142, may be part of the enterprise facility 102 network, may be part of the client facility 144, or the like.

In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may provide configuration management, which may be similar to policy management, but may specifically examine the configuration set of applications, operating systems, hardware, and the like, and managing changes to their configurations. Assessment of a configuration may be made against a standard configuration policy, detection of configuration changes, remediation of improper configuration, application of new configurations, and the like. An enterprise may keep a set of standard configuration rules and policies which may represent the desired state of the device. For example, a client firewall may be running and installed, but in the disabled state, where remediation may be to enable the firewall. In another example, the enterprise may set a rule that disallows the use of USB disks, and sends a configuration change to all clients, which turns off USB drive access via a registry.

In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may also provide for the removal of applications that may interfere with the operation of the threat management facility 100, such as competitor products that may also be attempting similar threat management functions. The removal of such products may be initiated automatically whenever such products are detected. In the case where such applications are services are provided indirectly through a third-party product, the application may be suspended until action is taken to remove or disable the third-party product's protection facility.

Threat management against a sometimes quickly evolving malware environment may require timely updates, and the update management facility 120 may be provided by the threat management facility 100. In addition, a policy management facility 112 may also require update management (e.g. as provided by the update facility 120 herein described), as the enterprise facility 102 requirements for policies change enterprise facility 102, client facility 144, server facility 142enterprise facility 102. The update management for the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 may be provided directly by the threat management facility 100, such as by a hosted system or in conjunction with the administration facility 134. In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may provide for patch management, where a patch may be an update to an operating system, an application, a system tool, or the like, where one of the reasons for the patch is to reduce vulnerability to threats.

In embodiments, the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 may push information to the enterprise facility 102 network and/or client facility 144, the enterprise facility 102 network and/or client facility 144 may pull information from the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 network server facilities 142, there may be a combination of pushing and pulling of information between the security facility 122 and the policy management facility 112 network servers 142, enterprise facility 102 network, and client facilities 144, or the like. For example, the enterprise facility 102 network and/or client facility 144 may pull information from the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 network server facility 142 may request the information using the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 update module; the request may be based on a certain time period, by a certain time, by a date, on demand, or the like. In another example, the security facility 122 and policy management facility 112 network servers 142 may push the information to the enterprise facility's 102 network and/or client facility 144 by providing notification that there are updates available for download and then transmitting the information. The combination of the security management 122 network server facility 142 and security update module may function substantially the same as the policy management facility 112 network server and policy update module by providing information to the enterprise facility 102 network and the client facility 144 in a push or pull method. In an embodiment, the policy management facility 112 and the security facility 122 management update modules may work in concert to provide all the needed information to the enterprise facility's 102 network and/or client facility 144 for control of application execution. In an embodiment, the policy update module and security update module may be combined into a single update module.

As threats are identified and characterized, the threat management facility 100 may create definition updates that may be used to allow the threat management facility 100 to detect and remediate the latest malicious software, unwanted applications, configuration and policy changes, and the like. The threat definition facility 114 may contain threat identification updates, also referred to as definition files. A definition file may be a virus identity file that may include definitions of known or potential malicious code. The IDE definition files may provide information that may identify malicious code within files, applications, or the like. The definition files may be accessed by security management facility 122 when scanning files or applications within the client facility 144 for the determination of malicious code that may be within the file or application. The definition files may contain a number of commands, definitions, or instructions, to be parsed and acted upon, or the like. In embodiments, the client facility 144 may be updated with new definition files periodically to provide the client facility 144 with the most recent malicious code definitions; the updating may be performed on a set time period, may be updated on demand from the client facility 144, may be updated on demand from the network, may be updated on a received malicious code alert, or the like. In an embodiment, the client facility 144 may request an update to the definition files from an update facility 120 within the network, may request updated definition files from a computing facility external to the network, updated definition files may be provided to the client facility 114 from within the network, definition files may be provided to the client facility 144 from an external computing facility from an external network, or the like.

In an embodiment, a definition management facility 114 may provide for the timely updates of definition files information to the network, client facilities 144, and the like. New and altered malicious code and malicious applications may be continually created and distributed to networks worldwide. The definition files that maintain the definitions of the malicious code and malicious application information for the protection of the networks and client facilities 144 may need continual updating to provide continual defense of the network and client facility 144 from the malicious code and malicious applications. The definition files management may provide for automatic and manual methods of updating the definition files. In embodiments, the network may receive definition files and distribute the definition files to the network client facilities 144, the client facilities 144 may receive the definition files directly, or the network and client facilities 144 may both receive the definition files, or the like. In an embodiment, the definition files may be updated on a fixed periodic basis, on demand by the network and/or the client facility 144, as a result of an alert of a new malicious code or malicious application, or the like. In an embodiment, the definition files may be released as a supplemental file to an existing definition files to provide for rapid updating of the definition files.

In a similar manner, the security management facility 122 may be used to scan an outgoing file and verify that the outgoing file is permitted to be transmitted per the enterprise facility 102 rules and policies. By checking outgoing files, the security management facility 122 may be able discover malicious code infected files that were not detected as incoming files as a result of the client facility 144 having been updated with either new definition files or policy management facility 112 information. The definition files may discover the malicious code infected file by having received updates of developing malicious code from the administration facility 134, updates from a definition files provider, or the like. The policy management facility 112 may discover the malicious code infected file by having received new updates from the administration facility 134, from a rules provider, or the like.

The threat management facility 100 may provide for a way to control access to the enterprise facility 102 networks. For instance, the enterprise facility 102 may want to restrict access to certain applications, networks, files, printers, servers, databases, or the like. In addition, the enterprise facility 102 may want to restrict user access under certain conditions, such as the user's location, usage history, need to know, job position, connection type, time of day, method of authentication, client-system configuration, or the like. Network access rules may be developed by the enterprise facility 102, or pre-packaged by a supplier, and managed by the threat management facility 100 in conjunction with the administration facility 134. Network access rules and control may be responsible for determining if a client facility 144 application should be granted access to a requested network location. The network location may be on the same network as the facility or may be on another network. In an embodiment, the network access control may verify access rights for client facilities 144 from within the network or may verify access rights of computer facilities from external networks. When network access for a client facility 144 is denied, the network access control may send an information file to the client facility 144, the information file may contain data or commands that may provide instructions for the remedial action facility 128. The information sent by the network access facility 124 control may be a data file. The data file may contain a number of commands, definitions, instructions, or commands to be parsed and acted upon through the remedial action facility 128, or the like. The information sent by the network access facility 124 control may be a command or command file that the remedial action facility 128 may access and take action upon.

In an embodiment, the network access rules 124 may provide an information store to be accessed by the network access control. The network access rules facility 124 may include databases such as a block list, a black list, an allowed list, a white list, an unacceptable network site database, an acceptable network site database, a network site reputation database, or the like of network access locations that may or may not be accessed by the client facility 144. Additionally, the network access rules facility 124 may incorporate rule evaluation; the rule evaluation may parse network access requests and apply the parsed information to network access rules. The network access rule facility 124 may have a generic set of rules that may be in support of an enterprise facility's 102 network access policies, such as denying access to certain types of websites 158, controlling instant messenger 162 accesses, or the like. Rule evaluation may include regular expression rule evaluation, or other rule evaluation method for interpreting the network access request and comparing the interpretation to the established rules for network access. In an embodiment, the network access rules facility 124 may receive a rules evaluation request from the network access control and may return the rules evaluation to the network access control.

Similar to the threat definitions facility 114, the network access rule facility 124 may provide updated rules and policies to the network access rules facility 124. The network access rules facility 124 may be maintained by the network administration facility 134 using the network access rules facility 124 management. In an embodiment, the network administration facility 134 may be able to maintain a set of access rules manually by adding rules, changing rules, deleting rules, or the like. Additionally, the administration facility 134 may be able to retrieve predefined rule sets from a provider that may provide a set of rules to be applied to an entire enterprise facility 102. The network administration facility 134 may be able to modify the predefined rules as needed for a particular enterprise facility 102 using the network access rules management facility 124.

When a threat or policy violation is detected by the threat management facility 100, the threat management facility 100 may provide for a remedial action facility 128. Remedial action may take a plurality of forms, such as terminating or modifying an ongoing process or interaction, sending a warning to a client or administration facility 134 of an ongoing process or interaction, executing a program or application to remediate against a threat or violation, record interactions for subsequent evaluation, or the like. Remedial action may be associated with an application that responds to information that a client facility 144 network access request has been denied. In an embodiment, when the data file is received, remedial action may parse the data file, interpret the various aspects of the data file, and act on the parsed data file information to determine actions to be taken on an application requesting access to a denied network location. In an embodiment, when the data file is received, remedial action may access the threat definitions to parse the data file and determine an action to be taken on an application requesting access to a denied network location. In an embodiment, the information received from the facility may be a command or a command file. The remedial action facility may carry out any commands that are received or parsed from a data file from the facility without performing any interpretation of the commands. In an embodiment, the remedial action facility may interact with the received information and may perform various actions on a client requesting access to a denied network location. The action may be one or more of continuing to block all requests to a denied network location, a malicious code scan on the application, a malicious code scan on the client facility 144, quarantine of the application, terminating the application, isolation of the application, isolation of the client facility 144 to a location within the network that restricts network access, blocking a network access port from a client facility 144, reporting the application to a administration facility 134, or the like.

Remedial action may be provided as a result of a detection of a threat or violation. The detection techniques facility 130 may include monitoring the enterprise facility 102 network or end-point devices, such as by monitoring streaming data through the gateway, across the network, through routers and hubs, and the like. The detection techniques facility 130 may include monitoring activity and stored files on computing facilities, such as on server facilities 142, desktop computers, laptop computers, other mobile computing devices, and the like. Detection techniques, such as scanning a computer's stored files, may provide the capability of checking files for stored threats, either in the active or passive state. Detection techniques, such as streaming file management, may provide the capability of checking files received at the network, gateway facility, client facility 144, and the like. This may provide the capability of not allowing a streaming file or portions of the streaming file containing malicious code from entering the client facility 144, gateway facility, or network. In an embodiment, the streaming file may be broken into blocks of information, and a plurality of virus identities may be used to check each of the blocks of information for malicious code. In an embodiment, any blocks that are not determined to be clear of malicious code may not be delivered to the client facility 144, gateway facility, or network.

Verifying that the threat management facility 100 is detecting threats and violations to established policy, may require the ability to test the system, either at the system level or for a particular computing component. The testing facility 118 may allow the administration facility 134 to coordinate the testing of the security configurations of client facility 144 computing facilities on a network. The administration facility 134 may be able to send test files to a set of client facility 144 computing facilities to test the ability of the client facility 144 to determine acceptability of the test file. After the test file has been transmitted, a recording facility may record the actions taken by the client facility 144 in reaction to the test file. The recording facility may aggregate the testing information from the client facility 144 and report the testing information to the administration facility 134. The administration facility 134 may be able to determine the level of preparedness of the client facility 144 computing facilities by the reported information. Remedial action may be taken for any of the client facility 144 computing facilities as determined by the administration facility 134; remedial action may be taken by the administration facility 134 or by the user of the client facility 144.

The threat research facility 132 may provide a continuously ongoing effort to maintain the threat protection capabilities of the threat management facility 100 in light of continuous generation of new or evolved forms of malware. Threat research may include researchers and analysts working on known and emerging malware, such as viruses, rootkits a spyware, as well as other computer threats such as phishing, spam, scams, and the like. In embodiments, through threat research, the threat management facility 100 may be able to provide swift, global responses to the latest threats.

The threat management facility 100 may provide threat protection to the enterprise facility 102, where the enterprise facility 102 may include a plurality of networked components, such as client facility 144, server facility 142, DNS server facility 210, administration facility 134, firewall 138, gateway, hubs 148, routers, threat management appliance 140, desktop users, mobile users, and the like. In embodiments, it may be the end-point computer security facility 152, located on a computer's desktop, which may provide threat protection to a user, and associated enterprise facility 102. In embodiments, the term end-point may refer to a computer system that may source data, receive data, evaluate data, buffer data, or the like, such as a user's desktop computer as an end-point computer, a firewall as a data evaluation end-point computer system, a laptop as a mobile end-point computer, a PDA as a hand-held end-point computer. In embodiments, end-point may refer to a source or destination for data, including such components where the destination is characterized by an evaluation point for data, and where the data may be sent to a subsequent destination after evaluation. The end-point computer security facility 152 may be an application loaded onto the computer platform or computer support component, where the application may accommodate the plurality of computer platforms and/or functional requirements of the component. For instance, a client facility 144 computer may be one of a plurality of computer platforms, such as Windows, Macintosh, Linux, and the like, where the end-point computer security facility 152 may be adapted to the specific platform, while maintaining a uniform product and product services across platforms. Additionally, components may have different functions to serve within the enterprise facility's 102 networked computer-based infrastructure. For instance, computer support components provided as hubs 148, routers, server facility 142, DNS server facility 210, firewalls 138, and the like, may require unique security application software to protect their portion of the system infrastructure, while providing an element in an integrated threat management system that extends out beyond the threat management facility 100 to incorporate all computer resources under its protection.

The enterprise facility 102 may include a plurality of client facility 144 computing platforms on which the end-point computer security facility 152 is adapted. A client facility 144 computing platform may be a computer system that is able to access a service on another computer, such as a server facility 142, via a network. This client facility 144 server facility 142 model may apply to a plurality of networked applications, such as a client facility 144 connecting to an enterprise facility 102 application server facility 142, a web browser client facility 144 connecting to a web server facility 142, an e-mail client facility 144 retrieving e-mail from an internet 154 service provider's mail storage servers 142, and the like. In embodiments, traditional large client facility 144 applications may be switched to websites, which may increase the browser's role as a client facility 144. Clients 144 may be classified as a function of the extent to which they perform their own processing. For instance, client facilities 144 are sometimes classified as a fat client facility 144 or thin client facility 144. The fat client facility 144, also known as a thick client facility 144 or rich client facility 144, may be a client facility 144 that performs the bulk of data processing operations itself, and does not necessarily rely on the server facility 142. The fat client facility 144 may be most common in the form of a personal computer, where the personal computer may operate independent of any server facility 142. Programming environments for fat clients 144 may include CURI, Delphi, Droplets, Java, win32, X11, and the like. Thin clients 144 may offer minimal processing capabilities, for instance, the thin client facility 144 may primarily provide a graphical user interface provided by an application server facility 142, which may perform the bulk of any required data processing. Programming environments for thin clients 144 may include JavaScript/AJAX, ASP, JSP, Ruby on Rails, Python's Django, PHP, and the like. The client facility 144 may also be a mix of the two, such as processing data locally, but relying on a server facility 142 for data storage. As a result, this hybrid client facility 144 may provide benefits from both the fat client facility 144 type, such as multimedia support and high performance, and the thin client facility 144 type, such as high manageability and flexibility. In embodiments, the threat management facility 100, and associated end-point computer security facility 152, may provide seamless threat protection to the plurality of clients 144, and client facility 144 types, across the enterprise facility 102.

The enterprise facility 102 may include a plurality of server facility 142, such as application servers 142, communications servers 142, file servers 142, database servers 142, proxy servers 142, mail servers 142, fax servers 142, game servers 142, web servers 142, and the like. A server facility 142, which may also be referred to as a server facility 142 application, server facility 142 operating system, server facility 142 computer, or the like, may be an application program or operating system that accepts client facility 144 connections in order to service requests from clients 144. The server facility 142 application may run on the same computer as the client facility 144 using it, or the server facility 142 and the client facility 144 may be running on different computers and communicating across the network. Server facility 142 applications may be divided among server facility 142 computers, with the dividing depending upon the workload. For instance, under light load conditions all server facility 142 applications may run on a single computer and under heavy load conditions a single server facility 142 application may run on multiple computers. In embodiments, the threat management facility 100 may provide threat protection to server facilities 142 within the enterprise facility 102 as load conditions and application changes are made.

A server facility 142 may also be an appliance facility 140, where the appliance facility 140 provides specific services onto the network. Though the appliance facility 140 is a server facility 142 computer, that may be loaded with a server facility 142 operating system and server facility 142 application, the enterprise facility 102 user may not need to configure it, as the configuration may have been performed by a third party. In an embodiment, an enterprise facility 102 appliance may be a server facility 142 appliance that has been configured and adapted for use with the threat management facility 100, and located within the facilities of the enterprise facility 102. The enterprise facility's 102 threat management appliance may enable the enterprise facility 102 to administer an on-site local managed threat protection configuration, where the administration facility 134 may access the threat resources through an interface, such as a web portal. In an alternate embodiment, the enterprise facility 102 may be managed remotely from a third party, vendor, or the like, without an appliance facility 140 located within the enterprise facility 102. In this instance, the appliance functionality may be a shared hardware product between pluralities of enterprises 102. In embodiments, the appliance facility 140 may be located at the enterprise facility 102, where the enterprise facility 102 maintains a degree of control. In embodiments, a hosted service may be provided, where the appliance 140 may still be an on-site black box to the enterprise facility 102, physically placed there because of infrastructure requirements, but managed by a third party, vendor, or the like.

Simple server facility 142 appliances may also be utilized across the enterprise facility's 102 network infrastructure, such as switches, routers, wireless routers, hubs 148, gateways, print servers 142, net modems, and the like. These simple server facility appliances may not require configuration by the enterprise facility 102, but may require protection from threats via an end-point computer security facility 152. These appliances may provide interconnection services within the enterprise facility 102 network, and therefore may advance the spread of a threat if not properly protected.

One way for a client facility 144 to be protected from threats from within the enterprise facility 102 network may be a personal firewall. A personal firewall may be an application that controls network traffic to and from a client, permitting or denying communications based on a security policy. Personal firewalls may be designed for use by end-users, which may result in protection for only the computer on which it's installed. Personal firewalls may be able to control network traffic by providing prompts each time a connection is attempted and adapting security policy accordingly. Personal firewalls may also provide some level of intrusion detection, which may allow the software to terminate or block connectivity where it suspects an intrusion is being attempted. Other features that may be provided by a personal firewall may include alerts about outgoing connection attempts, control of program access to networks, hiding the client from port scans by not responding to unsolicited network traffic, monitoring of applications that may be listening for incoming connections, monitoring and regulation of incoming and outgoing network traffic, prevention of unwanted network traffic from installed applications, reporting applications that make connection attempts, reporting destination servers with which applications may be attempting communications, and the like. In embodiments, the personal firewall may be provided by the threat management facility 100.

Another important component that may be protected by an end-point computer security facility 152 is a network firewall facility 138, which may be a hardware or software device that may be configured to permit, deny, or proxy data through a computer network that has different levels of trust in its source of data. For instance, an internal enterprise facility 102 network may have a high level of trust, because the source of all data has been sourced from within the enterprise facility 102. An example of a low level of trust is the Internet 154, because the source of data may be unknown. A zone with an intermediate trust level, situated between the Internet 154 and a trusted internal network, may be referred to as a “perimeter network”. Since firewall facilities 138 represent boundaries between threat levels, the end-point computer security facility 152 associated with the firewall facility 138 may provide resources that may control the flow of threats at this enterprise facility 102 network entry point. Firewall facilities 138, and associated end-point computer security facility 152, may also be associated with a network node that may be equipped for interfacing between networks that use different protocols. In embodiments, the end-point computer security facility 152 may provide threat protection in a plurality of network infrastructure locations, such as at the enterprise facility 102 network entry point, i.e. the firewall facility 138 or gateway; at the server facility 142; at distribution points within the network, i.e. the routers and hubs 148; at the desktop of client facility 144 computers; and the like. In embodiments, the most effective location for threat detection may be at the user's computer desktop end-point computer security facility 152.

The interface between the threat management facility 100 and the enterprise facility 102, and through the appliance facility 140 to embedded end-point computer security facilities, may include a set of tools that may be the same for all enterprise implementations, but allow each enterprise to implement different controls. In embodiments, these controls may include both automatic actions and managed actions. Automatic actions may include downloads of the end-point computer security facility 152 to components of the enterprise facility 102, downloads of updates to existing end-point computer security facilities of the enterprise facility 102, uploaded network interaction requests from enterprise facility 102 components to the threat management facility 100, and the like. In embodiments, automatic interactions between the enterprise facility 102 and the threat management facility 100 may be configured by the threat management facility 100 and an administration facility 134 in the enterprise facility 102. The administration facility 134 may configure policy rules that determine interactions, such as developing rules for accessing applications, as in who is authorized and when applications may be used; establishing rules for ethical behavior and activities; rules governing the use of entertainment software such as games, or personal use software such as IM 162 and VoIP 164; rules for determining access to enterprise facility 102 computing resources, including authentication, levels of access, risk assessment, and usage history tracking; rules for when an action is not allowed, such as whether an action is completely deigned or just modified in its execution; and the like. The administration facility 134 may also establish license management, which in turn may further determine interactions associated with a licensed application. In embodiments, interactions between the threat management facility 100 and the enterprise facility 102 may provide threat protection to the enterprise facility 102 by managing the flow of network data into and out of the enterprise facility 102 through automatic actions that may be configured by the threat management facility 100 or the administration facility 134.

Client facilities 144 within the enterprise facility 102 may be connected to the enterprise facility 102 network by way of wired network facilities 148 or wireless network facilities 150. Client facilities 144 connected to the enterprise facility 102 network via a wired facility 148 or wireless facility 150 may receive similar protection, as both connection types are ultimately connected to the same enterprise facility 102 network, with the same end-point computer security facility 152, and the same threat protected enterprise facility 102 environment. Mobile wireless facility 150 clients 144, because of their ability to connect to any wireless 150 network access point, may connect to the internet 154 outside the enterprise facility 102, and therefore outside the threat-protected environment of the enterprise facility 102. In this instance the mobile client facility 144, if not for the presence of the end-point computer security facility 152 may experience a malware attack or perform actions counter to enterprise facility 102 established policies. In addition, there may be a plurality of ways for the threat management facility 100 to protect the out-of-enterprise facility 102 mobile client facility 144 that has an embedded end-point computer security facility 152, such as by providing URI filtering in personal routers, using a web appliance as a DNS proxy, or the like. Mobile client facilities 144 that are components of the enterprise facility 102 but temporarily outside connectivity with the enterprise facility 102 network, may be provided with the same threat protection and policy control as client facilities 144 inside the enterprise facility 102. In addition, mobile client facilities 144 may receive the same interactions to and from the threat management facility 100 as client facilities 144 inside the enterprise facility 102, where mobile client facilities 144 may be considered a virtual extension of the enterprise facility 102, receiving all the same services via their embedded end-point computer security facility 152.

Interactions between the threat management facility 100 and the components of the enterprise facility 102, including mobile client facility 144 extensions of the enterprise facility 102, may ultimately be connected through the internet 154. Threat management facility 100 downloads and upgrades to the enterprise facility 102 may be passed from the firewalled networks of the threat management facility 100 through to the end-point computer security facility 152 equipped components of the enterprise facility 102. In turn the end-point computer security facility 152 components of the enterprise facility 102 may upload policy and access requests back across the internet 154 and through to the threat management facility 100. The Internet 154 however, is also the path through which threats may be transmitted from their source. These network threats may include threats from a plurality of sources, including websites 158, e-mail 160, IM 162, VoIP 164, application software, and the like. These threats may attempt to attack a mobile enterprise facility 102 client facility 144 equipped with an end-point computer security facility 152, but in embodiments, as long as the mobile client facility 144 is embedded with an end-point computer security facility 152, as described above, threats may have no better success than if the mobile client facility 144 where inside the enterprise facility 102.

However, if the mobile client facility 144 were to attempt to connect into an unprotected connection point, such as at a secondary location 108 that is not a part of the enterprise facility 102, the mobile client facility 144 may be required to request network interactions through the threat management facility 100, where contacting the threat management facility 100 may be performed prior to any other network action. In embodiments, the client facility's 144 end-point computer security facility 152 may manage actions in unprotected network environments such as when the client facility 144 is in a secondary location 108 or connecting wirelessly 150 to a non-enterprise facility 102 wireless internet 154 connection, where the end-point computer security facility 152 may dictate what actions are allowed, blocked, modified, or the like. For instance, if the client facility's 144 end-point computer security facility 152 is unable to establish a secured connection to the threat management facility 100, the end-point computer security facility 152 may inform the user of such, and recommend that the connection not be made. In the instance when the user chooses to connect despite the recommendation, the end-point computer security facility 152 may perform specific actions during or after the unprotected connection is made, including running scans during the connection period, running scans after the connection is terminated, storing interactions for subsequent threat and policy evaluation, contacting the threat management facility 100 upon first instance of a secured connection for further actions and or scanning restricting access to network and local resources, or the like. In embodiments, the end-point computer security facility 152 may perform specific actions to remediate possible threat incursions or policy violations during or after the unprotected connection.

The secondary location 108 may have no end-point computer security facilities 152 as a part of its computer components, such as its firewalls 138, servers 142, clients 144, hubs 148, wireless hubs 150, and the like. As a result, the computer components of the secondary location 108 may be open to threat attacks, and become potential sources of threats, as well as any mobile enterprise facility 102 clients 144 that may be connected to the secondary location's 108 network. In this instance, these computer components may now unknowingly spread a threat to other components connected to the network.

Some threats may not come directly from the Internet 154, such as from non-enterprise facility 102 controlled mobile devices that are physically brought into the enterprise facility 102 and connected to the enterprise facility 102 client facilities 144. The connection may be made from direct connection with the enterprise facility's 102 client facility 144, such as through a USB port, or in physical proximity with the enterprise facility's 102 client facility 144 such that a wireless facility 150 connection can be established, such as through a Bluetooth connection. These physical proximity threats 110 may be another mobile computing device, a portable memory storage device, a mobile communications device, or the like, such as CDs and DVDs 170, memory stick 174, flash drive 174, external hard drive, cell phone 178, PDAs 180, MP3 players, digital cameras, point-to-point devices, digital picture frames, digital pens, navigation devices, appliances, and the like. A physical proximity threat 110 may have been previously infiltrated by network threats while connected to an unprotected network connection outside the enterprise facility 102, and when connected to the enterprise facility 102 client facility 144, pose a threat. Because of their mobile nature, physical proximity threats 110 may infiltrate computing resources in any location, such as being physically brought into the enterprise facility 102 site, connected to an enterprise facility 102 client facility 144 while that client facility 144 is mobile, plugged into an unprotected client facility 144 at a secondary location 108, and the like. A mobile device, once connected to an unprotected computer resource, may become a physical proximity threat 110. In embodiments, the end-point computer security facility 152 may provide enterprise facility 102 computing resources with threat protection against physical proximity threats 110, for instance, through scanning the device prior to allowing data transfers, through security validation certificates, through establishing a safe zone within the enterprise facility 102 computing resource to transfer data into for evaluation, and the like.

Now that the overall system has been described, we turn towards a set of protected endpoint access control embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments may be managed through a threat management facility 100 along with other services, such as those described herein.

The present invention may provide a method of endpoint access control using a software component resident on an endpoint computer facility, where the endpoint computer facility may be a client, a server, a router, a firewall, and the like. Through use of the present invention, a first computing facility may be better protected against the transmission of infected files from a second computing facility as the result of an initiated communication related to shared files or other shared computer resources, such as shared application resources, shared network resources, shared network resources, shared email resources, shared instant messaging resources, and the like. For instance, the first computer may store a file that a second computer has shared access to, and where the second computer initiates a communication with the first computer for write access to the shared file. Computers are under the constant threat of receiving files or data that may infect their system. Shared access to files with other computers is particularly difficult because although the system may have access restrictions through authentication and authorization, it may not be enough to secure shared computer resources. The reasons may include that a person or computer may be valid (authenticated) and may have access to the resource (authorized) but still may be a threat to the shared resource and everyone that uses it, because the operating environment has been compromised prior to access. Through the use of the present invention, the threat to the first computer from malware associated with the second computer may be greatly reduced.

In embodiments, the present invention may provide this protection by providing a security storage facility 218 that contains security compliance information 220 for a plurality of endpoint computer facilities 202, such as depicted in the block diagram of FIG. 2. An endpoint computer facility 202A may then retrieve security compliance information 220 for any other endpoint computer facility 202B attempting to communicate with them, and thus be provided with assurance that the endpoint computer facility 202B meets a predetermined security and protection criteria that may have been developed through policy management 112. On the other hand, if the security compliance information 220 indicates that the other endpoint computer facility 200B is not compliant with policy 112, action may be taken to stop the transmission of data from the other endpoint computer facility 202B.

In embodiments, the present invention may include resident security software 204 on the endpoint computer facility 202A as part of the implementation of the present invention's protection of shared resources 208, as well as a firewall 210, network access controller (NAC) agent 212, and the like. For instance, the NAC agent may provide for collection of the information for the security storage facility 218, such as in a central security real-time database as collected through an automated security policy.

In embodiments, the security software 204 component may reside on any endpoint computing facility 202. Its purpose may be to prevent inbound communications from endpoint computing facilities 202 that do not adhere to the security policy 112. Unlike a firewall alone, which may block inbound traffic based on port, protocol, and/or MAC address or even a recipient application process, the present invention may base access decisions on the requesting endpoint computer facility's 202 status as it relates to policy management 112, such as provided by the enterprise 102, determined through a security management facility 122, and the like.

In an example, say an endpoint computer facility 202C has some type of computer infection that the person using the computer is not aware of. If they attempt to access another endpoint computer facility's 202A shared files 208 for example, the endpoint computer facility 202A protected with the invention may check with the security storage facility 218. If the endpoint computer facility 202C is not found to be compliant in the security storage facility 218, the computer 202A being accessed may drop all network traffic from the endpoint computing facility 202C. In embodiments, the same thing may happen whether or not the invention resides on the endpoint computer facility 202 acting in an agent or server role. For instance, say a first endpoint computer facility 202A is a server which contains resident shared files from a second endpoint computer facility 202B client. In this instance, both endpoint computer facilities 202A-B may have their security compliance information 220 stored in the security storage facility 218. Now when one initiates a communication with the other, the security storage facility 218 may be accessed to determine whether the communication is safe to proceed. For example, the client machine 202B may initiate a write access to a shared file stored on the server 202A. Before allowing the client access, the server 202A may request the client's 202B security compliance information 220 from the security storage facility 218. If the security compliance information 220 is found to be in compliance, then the server 202A may allow the write access from the client 202B to proceed. Otherwise the server 202A may execute actions that would regulate further communications from the client 202B, as described herein.

In embodiments, the present invention may be implemented where the security storage facility 218 is not centrally located, but distributed between endpoint computer facilities 202. For instance, when a communication is attempted between two endpoint computer facilities 202, the receiver may check the compliance state of the sender by requesting security compliance information 220 from the sender. If non-compliant or no-response is received (such as in the case where the sending endpoint computer facility 202 has no NAC agent) the communication may be rejected. For example, with an endpoint integrated security storage facility 218, each protected endpoint computing facility 202 may have its own security compliance information 220 stored in an integrated security storage facility 218. Now whenever another endpoint computing facility 202 requests security compliance information 220, it may not need to perform an external access to obtain the security compliance information 220, such as in a networked security storage facility 218, but may only have to retrieve the locally stored security compliance information 220 for transmission to the requesting endpoint computing facility 220. In embodiments, it may be acceptable to receive the communications from endpoint computer facilities 202 that do not support NAC, such as Linux, Win95, and the like. In embodiments, another variant may be to reject unsolicited communication only. For instance, the endpoint computing facility 202 may write data to the incompliant endpoint computing facility 202 but not read data from it.

In embodiments, the present invention may include policy management 112, where policy may determine the compliance requirements and mechanisms under which the invention operates. For instance, policy may dictate that no endpoint computing facility 202 protected by the invention may be allowed to communicate with any endpoint computing facility that is not protected by the invention. In embodiments, not protected may mean that an endpoint computing facility does not have the invention's security software 204 installed, does not have an up-to-date version of the security software 204, does not have security software that is properly updated, does not have malware prevention software installed, does not have malware protection enabled, does not have an enabled firewall, and the like. For example, two endpoint computing facilities 202A-B may both have security software 204 installed, but one may for some reason not be up to date. For instance, a laptop client 202B may have been away from the enterprise network 214 for a period of time when a new version of the security software 204 or an update to the security software 204 has been distributed to endpoint computing facilities 202 on the network 214. Now, when the laptop 202B is next connected to the network 214, and say attempts a write update to a shared file 208 on a server 202A on the network, it is prevented from doing so because of non-compliance with current policy 112.

In embodiments, mechanisms under which the invention operates may include automatic updates to the security software 204, such as from security management 122, the security storage facility 218, policy management 112, an administrator 134, an appliance 140A, and the like; automatic updates to the security storage facility, such as from security management 122, policy management 112, endpoint computing facilities 202, and the like; security compliance information supplied to endpoint computing facilities 202, such as when requested by endpoint computing facilities 202, communicated periodically, sent on a schedule, provided automatically as changes in status arise, and the like.

In embodiments, the endpoint computing facility 202 may be identified as protected by the invention by receiving a compliance certificate, such as from the security storage facility 218. The compliance certificate may then be supplied to other endpoint computing facilities 202 that request communications to shared resources 208, and thus providing assurance to the requesting endpoint computing facility 202 that further communications may be allowed. In embodiments, the compliance certificate may be time related, such as specifying a time period over which the compliance certificate is good for, providing an expiration time/date, and the like. For example, a time expiring ticket may be sent from the security storage facility 218 to an endpoint computing facility 202A indicating that it is compliant for the next 24 hour period. Now when a second endpoint computing facility 202B initiates communication with the first endpoint computing facility 202A, the first endpoint computing facility 202A may provide the ticket to the second endpoint computing facility 202B to indicate compliance, and thus allow communication to proceed. For instance, a visiting client 202B to an enterprise network 214 may have been given a compliance certificate to enable it to access a shared application 208 on an enterprise networked server 202A, where the compliance certificate specifies that the client 202B will be provided compliant status for one day. However, when the visiting client shows back up on the next day, the server 202A rejects communications from the client 202B because the client's security compliance information 220 now indicates that is out of date, and no longer compliant. In embodiments, a message may be sent to the now non-compliant client 202B, as well as to an administrator 134, as to the condition of non-compliance.

In embodiments, a compliant endpoint computing facility 202A may attempt communication with a second endpoint computing facility 202B and not receive an indication back that the second endpoint computing facility 202B is compliant, but where further measures, such as determined through policy management 112, may be taken by the compliant endpoint computing facility 202A to determine if communications should still be allowed. For instance, the second endpoint computing facility 202B may not have an operating system that allows the use of the present invention, such as not supporting a NAC agent. In this instance, the compliant endpoint computing facility 202A may attempt to determine the second endpoint computing facility operating system, say by fingerprinting the machine (e.g. using NMAP or other open source solutions), and if found to be unable to support the present invention, may allow communications to proceed. In another instance, the compliant endpoint computing facility 202A may be attempting to communicate with an endpoint computing facility 202D that is out on the Internet. In this instance, policy management may determine what is allowed, such as always allowing communications with endpoint computing facilities that are on the Internet, not allowing such communications, requiring a compliance certificate to assure compliance, allowing a maximum hop count to the other endpoint computing facility, changing the filtering depending on the protocol, and the like. In embodiments, policy 112 may dictate that communications with endpoint computing facilities 202D on the Internet be allowed through a virtual private network (VPN), such as to create a protected zone, and letting endpoint computing facilities 202D into the VPN that are protected by the invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, in embodiments, the present invention may provide for computer communications 300 where in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility 302, the first computing facility may be caused to send a request to a compliance center for security compliance information relating to the second computing facility 304. In response to the request for security compliance information, the first computing facility may receive compliance information related to the second computing facility 308, which may cause the first computing facility to perform an action 314 regulating further communications from the second computing facility if the second computing facility security compliance information indicates 310 that the second client computing facility is not compliant with a current security policy. Otherwise, the communications may be allowed 312.

In embodiments, the computing facility may be a client computing facility, a server computing facility, a router computing facility, a firewall computing facility, and the like. The communication may be an access request to a shared computer resource, a shared file access, a shared application resource access, a shared network resource access, a shared email resource access, a shared instant message access, and the like.

In embodiments, the compliance center may be centrally located on a network, located on the first computing facility, distributed between the first computing facility and the second computing facility, distributed across at least two of a plurality of endpoint computing facilities, and the like. In embodiments, the compliance center may be updated automatically, such as provided by a central security management facility, by endpoint computer facilities, by at least one of the first computing facility and the second computing facility, and the like. In embodiments, the security compliance information may be related to the detection of security software on the second computing facility, updates of security software, the version of security software, malware detection software, an enabled firewall in the second computing facility, OS patch level, application patch level, version of an application, and the like. In embodiments, the compliance information may be included in compliance metadata associated with the data as stored in a file, as transferred from one storage location or application to another, as transmitted from one machine to another, such as over a network, and the like. For example, an end-point client computer may be running a version of Microsoft Word that has not received the latest updates or patches, and this information may be provided as compliance information, such as in compliance metadata. In embodiments, compliance information, compliance metadata, and the like, may be provided by the first computing facility, stored in the second computing facility, be provided by the central compliance center, and the like. In embodiments, the current security policy may be maintained in a central policy management facility, and may dictate remediation actions that may be taken as a result of detecting a non-compliance condition, such blocking the transfer of data, blocking the use of a non-compliant application, blocking the communication with a non-compliant machine, notifying the user of the first computing facility, notifying the user of the second computing facility, notifying an administrator, notifying the central policy management facility, notifying the central communications center, and the like.

In embodiments, the action may be to block further communications from the second computer facility, to block access to shared resources in the first computing facility, to block transfers of data to the first computing facility, and the like. Further communications may relate only to writing of data to the first computing facility.

In embodiments, the second computing facility may be located on the Internet, and further communications not regulated even in the absence of security compliance information.

Referring to FIG. 4, in embodiments, the present invention may provide computer communications 400, where a first computing facility may receive security compliance information indicating that the first computing facility is currently in compliance and indicating a period of time for which the first computing facility is to be considered in compliance 402. The first computing facility may send a communication to a second computing facility. The communication may include the security compliance information 404, which may cause the second computing facility to check the security compliance information for an in-security-compliance indication before accepting further communications from the first computing facility 408. Checking whether the first computing facility is in compliance 410, the second computing facility may allow further communications 412 or not allow future communications 414. In embodiments, the security compliance information may be received from a compliance center, the second computing facility may check the security compliance information with a local database of compliance information, the second computing facility may check the security compliance information with a networked database of compliance information, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 5, in embodiments, the present invention may provide computer communications, where in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility 502, the first computing facility may be caused to send a compliance information request to the second computing facility. The compliance information request may then check the second computing facility's operating system's ability to communicate security compliance information to a compliance center 504. In response to receiving an indication that the second computing facility does not send compliance information to the compliance center 510, the second computing facility may be allowed further communications to be received and processed by the first computing facility 514, such as normal communications, limited communications, communications after further scrutiny, communications after further processing, communications as dictated by policy, and the like. For example, the second endpoint computing facility 202C may be an older machine, and incapable of supporting the present invention. However, this second endpoint computing facility 202C may still require shared access to computer resources on the first endpoint computing facility 202A that is protected by the present invention. An enterprise administrator 134 may realize that there may be older machines 202C that cannot support the present invention, and yet still need to be provided access to shared resources 208. The administrator 134 may then set up policy requirements for communicating with such machines 202C. For instance, the policy 112 may allow unrestricted communications with these machines 202C, limited communications, communication once the identity of the machine 202C has been identified as one of an acceptable list, and the like. In embodiments, this may allow the administrator 134 to provide a degree of backward compatibility to endpoint computing facilities 202C that are unable to send compliance information to the compliance center 510.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software, program codes, and/or instructions on a processor. The processor may be part of a server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform. A processor may be any kind of computational or processing device capable of executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions and the like. The processor may be or include a signal processor, digital processor, embedded processor, microprocessor or any variant such as a co-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-processor, communication co-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectly facilitate execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon. In addition, the processor may enable execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitate simultaneous operations of the application. By way of implementation, methods, program codes, program instructions and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread. The thread may spawn other threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code. The processor may include memory that stores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein and elsewhere. The processor may access a storage medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions as described herein and elsewhere. The storage medium associated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being executed by the computing or processing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and the like.

A processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed and performance of a multiprocessor. In embodiments, the process may be a dual core processor, quad core processors, other chip-level multiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent cores (called a die).

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software on a server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computer and/or networking hardware. The software program may be associated with a server that may include a file server, print server, domain server, internet server, intranet server and other variants such as secondary server, host server, distributed server and the like. The server may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other servers, clients, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server. In addition, other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the server.

The server may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, clients, other servers, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of program across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the invention. In addition, any of the devices attached to the server through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, code and/or instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.

The software program may be associated with a client that may include a file client, print client, domain client, internet client, intranet client and other variants such as secondary client, host client, distributed client and the like. The client may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like. The methods, programs or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the client. In addition, other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the client.

The client may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, servers, other clients, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of program across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the invention. In addition, any of the devices attached to the client through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, applications, code and/or instructions. A central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices. In this implementation, the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.

The methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through network infrastructures. The network infrastructure may include elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication devices, routing devices and other active and passive devices, modules and/or components as known in the art. The computing and/or non-computing device(s) associated with the network infrastructure may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM, ROM and the like. The processes, methods, program codes, instructions described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of the network infrastructural elements.

The methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on a cellular network having multiple cells. The cellular network may either be frequency division multiple access (FDMA) network or code division multiple access (CDMA) network. The cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites, base stations, repeaters, antennas, towers, and the like. The cell network may be a GSM, GPRS, 3G, EVDO, mesh, or other networks types.

The methods, programs codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile devices. The mobile devices may include navigation devices, cell phones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, palmtops, netbooks, pagers, electronic books readers, music players and the like. These devices may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as a flash memory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or more computing devices. The computing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled to execute program codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon. Alternatively, the mobile devices may be configured to execute instructions in collaboration with other devices. The mobile devices may communicate with base stations interfaced with servers and configured to execute program codes. The mobile devices may communicate on a peer to peer network, mesh network, or other communications network. The program code may be stored on the storage medium associated with the server and executed by a computing device embedded within the server. The base station may include a computing device and a storage medium. The storage device may store program codes and instructions executed by the computing devices associated with the base station.

The computer software, program codes, and/or instructions may be stored and/or accessed on machine readable media that may include: computer components, devices, and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time; semiconductor storage known as random access memory (RAM); mass storage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and other types; processor registers, cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage such as CD, DVD; removable media such as flash memory (e.g. USB sticks or keys), floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the like; other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/write storage, mutable storage, read only, random access, sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, content addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar codes, magnetic ink, and the like.

The methods and systems described herein may transform physical and/or or intangible items from one state to another. The methods and systems described herein may also transform data representing physical and/or intangible items from one state to another.

The elements described and depicted herein, including in flow charts and block diagrams throughout the figures, imply logical boundaries between the elements. However, according to software or hardware engineering practices, the depicted elements and the functions thereof may be implemented on machines through computer executable media having a processor capable of executing program instructions stored thereon as a monolithic software structure, as standalone software modules, or as modules that employ external routines, code, services, and so forth, or any combination of these, and all such implementations may be within the scope of the present disclosure. Examples of such machines may include, but may not be limited to, personal digital assistants, laptops, personal computers, mobile phones, other handheld computing devices, medical equipment, wired or wireless communication devices, transducers, chips, calculators, satellites, tablet PCs, electronic books, gadgets, electronic devices, devices having artificial intelligence, computing devices, networking equipments, servers, routers and the like. Furthermore, the elements depicted in the flow chart and block diagrams or any other logical component may be implemented on a machine capable of executing program instructions. Thus, while the foregoing drawings and descriptions set forth functional aspects of the disclosed systems, no particular arrangement of software for implementing these functional aspects should be inferred from these descriptions unless explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context. Similarly, it will be appreciated that the various steps identified and described above may be varied, and that the order of steps may be adapted to particular applications of the techniques disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. As such, the depiction and/or description of an order for various steps should not be understood to require a particular order of execution for those steps, unless required by a particular application, or explicitly stated or otherwise clear from the context.

The methods and/or processes described above, and steps thereof, may be realized in hardware, software or any combination of hardware and software suitable for a particular application. The hardware may include a general purpose computer and/or dedicated computing device or specific computing device or particular aspect or component of a specific computing device. The processes may be realized in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other programmable device, along with internal and/or external memory. The processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that one or more of the processes may be realized as a computer executable code capable of being executed on a machine readable medium.

The computer executable code may be created using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software, or any other machine capable of executing program instructions.

Thus, in one aspect, each method described above and combinations thereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps thereof. In another aspect, the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the steps thereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, or all of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalone device or other hardware. In another aspect, the means for performing the steps associated with the processes described above may include any of the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, various modifications and improvements thereon will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is not to be limited by the foregoing examples, but is to be understood in the broadest sense allowable by law.

All documents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference. 

1. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, performs the steps of: in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility, causing the first computing facility to send a request to a compliance center for security compliance information relating to the second computing facility; in response to the request for security compliance information, receiving at the first computing facility the second computing facility security compliance information; and causing the first computing facility to perform an action regulating further communications from the second computing facility if the second computing facility security compliance information indicates that the second computing facility is not compliant with a current security policy.
 2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the communication is an access request to a shared computer resource.
 3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the compliance center is centrally located on a network.
 4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the compliance center is distributed across at least two of a plurality of endpoint computing facilities.
 5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the compliance center is updated automatically.
 6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security compliance information is the detection of security software on the second computing facility.
 7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security compliance information is related to updates of security software.
 8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security compliance information is related to the version of security software.
 9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security compliance information is related to malware detection software.
 10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the security compliance information is an enabled firewall in the second computing facility.
 11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the action is to block further communications from the second computer facility.
 12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the action is to block access to shared resources in the first computing facility.
 13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the action is to block transfers of data to the first computing facility.
 14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein further communications relates only to writing of data to the first computing facility.
 15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the current security policy is maintained in a central policy management facility.
 16. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, performs the steps of: receiving at a first computing facility security compliance information indicating that the first computing facility is currently in compliance and indicating a period of time for which the first computing facility is to be considered in compliance; sending a communication from the first computing facility to a second computing facility, wherein the communication includes the security compliance information; and causing the second computing facility to check the security compliance information for an in-security-compliance indication before accepting further communications from the first computing facility.
 17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the security compliance information is received from a compliance center.
 18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the second computing facility checks the security compliance information with a local database of compliance information.
 19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the second computing facility checks the security compliance information with a networked database of compliance information.
 20. A computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, performs the steps of: in response to a receipt of a communication at a first computing facility from a second computing facility, causing the first computing facility to send a compliance information request to the second computing facility, wherein the compliance information request checks the second computing facility's operating system's ability to communicate security compliance information to a compliance center; and in response to receiving an indication that the second computing facility does not send compliance information to the compliance center, allowing further communications from the second computing facility to be received and processed by the first computing facility. 